Ammunition container



Feb. 19,1935. J: p WOQDBRIDGE 1,991,481

AMMUNITION CONTAINER Filed March 12, 1932 V Patented Feb. 1 9, 1935 f T W CONTAINER H woodbridgepNewark, 3

Application March 12, 1932, Serial No. 598,339

1 Claim.

The present invention relating as indicated to an ammunition container, has more particular reference to a portable sheet metal case adapted for packing light artillery ammunition and the 5 like. An object of my invention is to provide such a container which will'be light in weight, economical and simple to manufacture, and together with means for hermetically sealing the container so that the ammunition enclosed therein will be protected from moisture and erosion during storage over indefinite periods of time. It is a further object to provide a container which likewise will serve as a means for packing and returning the empty cartridge cases to the rear for refilling and which can be used again. It is still another object to provide the supporting means for the individual rounds of ammunition so that they will not come into contact with each other and, consequently, will not become injured or damaged during transportation. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention,'such disclosed means constituting,

however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ammunition container constructed according to the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal halfsection taken through Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective sectional view taken respectively on lines-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the supporting diaphragms positioned on the interior of the container; Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a perspective view on a slightly reduced scale showing the container after the hermetic seal has been ripped open and is assembled for returning for refilling.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

the

container indicated generally by the numeral 1 is in the form of a quadrilateral rectangular prism having wide sides 2 and narrow sides 3. One

by means of phragms '7, 8

a flanged panel 5. Interior diaand 9 are then positioned at various intervals on the inside of the enclosing walls. The interior diaphragms 7, 8 and 9 have the lateral flanges 10 and 11 which are adapted to be welded against the inner surfaces of the outside walls 2 and 3. The diaphragms '7, 8 and 9 likewise have a plurality of aligned circular openings for the reception of the rounds 6. The innermost diaphragm 9 engages with the nose of the project'le in order to allow some clearance between the fuse and the end wall 4 of the container. The intermediate diaphragm 8, as shown by the drawing is positioned at a point slightly in advance of the rotating band 18.

Now directing attention to Figs. 3 and 5, it will be seen that the closing panel 5, which is preferably composed of tin sheeting, has the lateral flanges 13 and 14 which fit against the inner surfaces of the outer walls 2 and 3. The outermost edges of the flanges 13 and 14 are soldered to the walls 2 and 3. A fine steel wire 15 is embedded in this last-mentioned soldered jointwith a free or loose end extending, as shown in Fig. 1. The purpose of the loose end of the steel wire 15 is to offer a means for quickly and conveniently breaking the soldered joint and opening the container.

After the container has been opened and the rounds of ammunition have been fired, the empty shells are replaced therein, the closing panel 5 is placed in position and the old rip wire is slipped through the holes 16 and 1'7 in the top and bottom of the container and twisted in position. In this latter manner it will be seen that the closing panel 5. is effectively retained in position while the empty rounds are enclosed within the container which is then ready to be sent to the rear for refilling. 7

'It should be further noted that, inasmuch as the interior transverse diaphragms '7, 8 and 9 and the closing panels 4 and 5 are the same peripheral dimensionsjthere are'required no special stamping dies for each separate part. Furthermore, inasmuch as the container is fabricated from sheet metal and the parts thereof welded together, it will be seen that the manufacture in large quantities of the herein described container is exceptionally simple and economical. Also, by virtue of the fact that the container conforms to uniform rectangular dimensions, it is possible to conveniently pack a great number of the containers together for transportation or storage purposes. Furthermore, inasmuch as my ammunition container is of such dimensions and weight as to be of portable nature, it being possible for one man to carry two containers, such containers may be packed with ammunition directly at the factory and ultimately transported to the guns without involving opening of the containers or intermediate handling of the base rounds, which fact operates to eliminate the necessity of a caisson.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by the following claim or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis-- tinctly claim as my invention:

A portable container for light artillery ammunition and the like fabricated from sheet steel and comprising the combination of rectangularouter walls, an open end defined by said walls, and a closure panel for said open end, laterally extending flanges on the edges of said closure panel, said flanges being contiguous to the inner surfaces of the walls of said container, a soft metal joint seeming the edges of said flanges to said" walls, a relatively fine steel wire embedded in said soft metal joint and having a loose end extenda ing therefrom, and a plurality of hols; in the walls of said container at a pointbeyond the flanges, said holes being' adapted V g to receive said wire and to serve as a means to hold edges of said said closure member in place after said soft metal joint has been severed.

V JOHN P. WOODBRIDGE. 

